Israel Matzav

Long overdue

Over the last 48 hours, the IDF has done what it should have done a long time ago: It has arrested most of the Hamas leadership in Judea and Samaria. Now, we should start executing them.

Hamas' parliamentary speaker in the West Bank Abdel Aziz Dweck was among 50 people arrested by security forces Sunday night and Monday morning. Hamas leaders Bassem al-Za'arir, Azzam Salhab, Samir al-Qadi and Maher al-Kharraz were also among those taken into custody.

The arrests come on the heels of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's announcement that Hamas was responsible for the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers, Eyal Yifrach, Gil-Ad Shaer, and Naftali Fraenkel, on Thursday.

There are also reports that some of the Hamas terrorists will be deported. That would be a mistake. First, no one will take them. Second, no one will keep them in line if they do take them. And third, they should be executed. Slowly and painfully.

In the meantime, Shimon Peres' creation, in which Hamas is now a full partner, has condemned the arrests. 

Palestinian government spokesman Ehab Bessaiso told reporters in Ramallah that the latest escalation in security measures was in the context of Israel’s “collective punishment” against the Palestinians.

He called on the international community to intervene and demand that Israel halt its latest measures, including the siege on Hebron and its refusal to allow families of prisoners held in Israel to visit their sons.

The PLO leadership condemned Israel for holding the PA responsible for the safety of the three Israeli youths who were kidnapped in the West Bank.

“The Israeli government can’t hold the Palestinians responsible for security in occupied territories,” the spokesman said, referring to Area C of the West Bank, where the three boys were kidnapped from, and which is under Israeli security control.

A statement published by the PLO Executive Committee, following a meeting in Ramallah chaired by PA President Mahmoud Abbas, accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu of waging a “racist campaign” against the Palestinians.

The statement said that Netanyahu’s “false allegations” were intended to cover up for Israel’s failure to prevent the kidnapping, and condemned it for imposing “collective punishment” on the Palestinians, especially in the Hebron area, as part of efforts to locate the kidnapped youths.

The response to that ought to be to do to Abu Bluff the same thing that was done in 2002 to his beloved mentor, Yasser Arafat.

Labels: Abu Mazen, Hamas, Mukhata, Palestinian terrorism, Yasser Arafat

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 11:32 AM